EVERLEIGH

We were almost done carrying all of the floral arrangements into the building's cargo elevator. Gran took the first elevator full up and I was waiting for her to come back down so I could load the rest. The elevator was located at the back of the parking garage and was used by employees of the restaurants and businesses in the building.

There were several workers coming up from behind me. They were all dressed in uniforms like a catering service. 

I smiled at the one closest to me and pulled out my phone to scroll my social media while we waited for the elevator to come back down. The engagement party was on the eighteenth floor so it would take time for it to come back down. I was so lost in my phone that I almost didn’t hear part of their conversation.  

It’s not my fault that I’m nosy by nature.

“....minutes to get in and get out. Call Vinny and tell him to meet us out front. This elevator is taking too long.”

I made sure to keep staring at my phone. It’s a good thing I keep my earbuds in at all times so I can take phone calls hand free when we are setting up for events. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the guy next to me look me over longer than was polite. Since my hair was in a ponytail my earbuds were clearly visible. He seemed to write me off as nothing but switched languages when talking to his coworkers.

“Probably nothing but rocks in her head. She’s been staring at that phone the whole time. Oblivious to the world. Just how they should be.” He said in Italian.  

Finally the elevator came back down and the doors opened. When I made my move to step inside, the one side glancing at me grabbed my arm to keep me from moving forward.

“Let me help you with that cart.” He pushed it into the elevator for me which was slightly unnerving. He was looking at me like I was a snack. Shit. There were five of them and one of me. I just had to hope that they weren’t going to the same floor as me.

He punched the button for the eighteenth floor and my stomach sank. I could feel my heart rate speed up almost instantly at the thought of being in an elevator alone with these guys. The more I got to look at them I could tell they were no caterers.

“What floor?” the guy closest to me asked.

I could feel the sleaze ball just dripping off of him now. 

Still trying to play cool I took one of my earbuds out and smiled. “Eighteen please.” He looked at me kind of funny so I thought I would play dumb.

“You guys part of the event staff too?” 

The tallest guy in the back spoke in Italian to Mr. Sleazy. “Should we take care of her too? She’s seen all of our faces.”

“What for? That will just take more time away from why we are here. She’s just a stupid woman. Only good for one thing.” Yep. Definitely a sleaze. “I wouldn’t mind trying her out though. The dumber they are, the better they suck.” 

Just when I thought I was about to have a panic attack the door opened to the eighteenth floor. I walked out with my cart and took the first right while the Italians, except for Mr Sleazy, took the left. He was following me. I could feel it.

My heart racing, I took the last turn leading to the event hall. This floor of the building

has been mostly empty all day. Whatever his pIans for me were, he could get away with them and no one would find me until it was too late.

I was walking so fast now I was almost running. There was no way he didn't know that I knew he was following me. 

As a spur of the moment decision, I left my cart full of flower arrangements and I ran. I could hear his muffled footsteps on the carpet as he ran to catch up with me. 

I was almost at the door where I knew there would be help.

The searing pain coming from the back of my head was enough to make my eyes water. Mr. Sleazy grabbed my hair and pulled me back toward him, wrapping his arm around my waist and crushing my throat with his free hand. He slammed me up against the wall, smashing my head into the rough surface of the wall. I could see a smear of red on the wall when he pulled my head back again.

He adjusted the grip of both of his hands just enough that I was able to get my elbow free. I shifted my body slightly, just enough so he wouldn’t see it coming. Thank God I kept up with my training.  

I slammed my elbow right into his face. The sickening sound of cartilage smashing and his screaming confirmed I made contact just as I had hoped. 

He released his hold on me to grab his broken nose, giving me the chance to stomp hard on his foot. I pushed him away and ran for the event room. It didn't take him long to follow.

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. Just a few more steps and I would be safe. My hand was on the doorknob when I felt his hands on me again. 

This fucker was quicker than I thought. 

His arms around me pulled me back but not before I kicked the door open. 

There's no way I'm letting him take me. 

I pulled my knees up as far as I could. In a last ditch effort I threw all of my weight forward. Sometimes I don't think of the consequences of my actions and this may be one of those times. 

We fell through the door, his full weight crashing down on me. I felt my wrist snap and the shooting pain that comes along with it. 

I rolled to my side and began kicking the shit out of him. I was so preoccupied with beating the shit out of him that I didn't notice the large hands pulling me away. 

Only briefly did it register that I wasn't in the event center. Instead of the event hall, the door I went through was a conference room. In this conference room were some of the biggest men I have ever seen in my life. 

Four of them had the sleaze ball in the corner. He looked pretty messed up. There was no way I caused that much damage.

I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I was on the verge of a full on panic attack. The biggest hand I have ever seen in my life gently turned my head away from the crumpled mess that was in the other corner. 

My gaze locked with the bluest eyes I have ever seen in my life. Sky blue framed with long beautiful lashes any girl would kill for and perfectly shaped brows. This man was the epitome of a god. I could see his lips moving but my brain wasn't registering what he was saying.

"More…" I said quietly. My throat was on fire from being crushed by that asshole.

He looked at me like I was losing my mind. "What?"

"More." I said a little louder, wincing with pain. "There are more of them. They took the left hall off of the service elevator." I latched on to his arm with my good hand. 

He turned to the group behind us and jerked his head in the direction of the door.

"Ronan Callaghan." I gripped his arm tighter. Something discernable flashed across his face. I just barely saw. 

“They said something about killing Ronan Callaghan.”